Report Item 1 – 26/00190/ADV – Meadens Ltd, Meadens Skoda of Brockenhurst, Sway Road, Brockenhurst SO42 7SH

1. REASON FOR COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

Contrary to Parish Council view.

2. POLICIES

Development Plan Designations

Defined New Forest Village

Principal Development Plan Policies

• Policy SP1 Supporting sustainable development
• Policy DP2 General development principles
• Policy SP4 Spatial strategy
• Policy SP7 Landscape character
• Policy SP15 Tranquillity
• Policy SP17 Local distinctiveness
• Policy DP18 Design principles

Supplementary Planning Documents

Design Guide SPD

NPPF

• Sec. 2. Achieving sustainable development
• Sec. 4. Decision-making
• Sec. 8. Promoting healthy and safe communities
• Sec. 9. Promoting sustainable transport
• Sec. 12. Achieving well-designed places
• Sec. 15. Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment

3. MEMBER COMMENTS

None received

4. PARISH COUNCIL COMMENTS

Brockenhurst Parish Council: Recommend refusal.

Whilst improved, the proposal remains contrary to the street scene and the rural village setting.

5. CONSULTEES

None required.

6. REPRESENTATIONS

Two comments received (including one from Friends of Brockenhurst) raising the following concerns:

• All the signs subject to the current application were previously rejected under case 25/01471ADV.
• This is a retrospective application.
• The double-sided flag sign now in place is illuminated.
• There has never been planning approval granted for an illuminated flag sign, or for that matter any illuminated signage or facias at this site.
• Previous decisions have determined that metal rather than a vinyl would be more appropriate on this site.
• Harmful impact on dark skies / suburbanising impacts.
• The application does not reflect what is currently on site.

7. RELEVANT HISTORY

• Display of 2 no. illuminated fascia sign; 1 no. illuminated pylon sign; new illuminated entrance portal; removal of existing signage (25/01471ADV) refused on 12 February 2026
• Installation of 1no. non-illuminated Skoda projecting Flag sign mounted on a 3.7 metre high pole (Application for Advertisement Consent) (17/01038) granted on 30 January 2018
• Application to vary condition 7 of planning permission reference 17/01037 for formalisation of car park; alterations to access; associated landscaping to allow commencement of work using existing access and visibility splays (20/00077) granted on 01 April 2020
• Formalisation of car park; alterations to access; associated landscaping (17/01037) granted on 20 February 2018
• Installation of 1No. Internally illuminated pylon sign (Application for Advertisement Consent) (17/00619) withdrawn on 21 September 2017
• Creation of car park; alterations to access; associated landscaping (17/00618) withdrawn on 21 September 2017
• Demolition of Garage/Showroom (Application for Prior Notification under Part 11 (Class B) Town and Country Planning (GPDO 2016) (17/00358) details not required (Prior) on 24 May 2017
• Application to vary conditions 2 and 3 of planning permission reference 15/00485 (to allow a minor material amendment to roofing materials and cladding) (16/00012) granted on 23 February 2016
• 1No. non-illuminated fascia sign; 1No. non-illuminated hoarding sign; 1No. non-illuminated hanging sign (Application for Advertisement Consent) (15/00512) granted on 23 February 2016
• Alterations to showroom; Demolition of existing extensions (15/00485) granted on 04 August 2015
• Display of 3no internally illuminated fascia signs; 1no internally illuminated sign; 3no non illuminated static banners (Application for Advertisement Consent) (14/00373) refused on 31 July 2014
• 5 no. internally illuminated facia signs (13/98930) refused on 10 December 2013
• 3 no non-illuminated fascia signs; 2 no non-illuminated sets of corner lights; 1 no non-illuminated portico entrance surround; 1 no non-illuminated totem pole (12/97854) split decision on 15 November 2012
• 1 free standing illuminated totem sign; 3 non-illuminates fabric flags; 1 illuminated fascia including portico entrance surround (12/97589) refused on 10 August 2012

8. ASSESSMENT

Application Site

8.1 The Application site measures approximately 0.2 hectares in size and comprises a car sales establishment located within the defined village boundary of Brockenhurst. The main building is prominently sited and fronts onto Sway Road, a B Classified highway, which bounds the western extent of the site. The main external display areas lie immediately to the front of the building on the boundary with Sway Road and also to the south of the main building.

8.2 The immediate locality comprises predominantly residential uses. The Brockenhurst Conservation Area lies approximately 70 metres to the north-west.

Proposed Development

8.3 Advertisement consent is now sought to retain two fascia signs, one entrance portal (all these being located on the front façade of the building), and a double-sided pole sign (in the south-west corner of the site). The signs to the building frontage reach a maximum height of 4.1 metres. The pole sign measures 4.5 metres in height. All of the signs are acrylic and the applicant has stated that they are not illuminated

Planning Background

8.4 By way of background, this application has been submitted in order to address a previously refused application for advertisement consent. The earlier scheme comprised two illuminated fascia signs extending along the majority of the building frontage and an illuminated feature surrounding the main entrance door (application reference: 25/01471ADV). The application was refused on the grounds that it would have an unacceptably adverse impact upon the character of the area through the erosion of both local character and the dark skies of the New Forest, also giving rise to loss of night-time tranquillity.

Consideration

8.5 Regulation 3 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 requires that local planning authorities control the display of advertisements in the interests of amenity and public safety, taking into account the provisions of the development plan, in so far as they are material, and any other relevant factors. Unless the nature of the advertisement is in itself harmful to amenity or public safety, consent cannot be refused because the local planning authority considers the advertisement to be misleading or unnecessary.

8.6 The adopted New Forest National Park Local Plan 2016-2036 (2019) (herein referred to as the 'Local Plan') does not rule out the general principle of introducing signage to existing commercial premises and therefore the general principle of the proposal is considered acceptable subject to having regard to all relevant development plan policies alongside any material planning considerations, including the provisions within the NPPF.

8.7 Paragraph 141 of the NPPF states that advertisements should be subject to control only in the interests of amenity and public safety, taking account of cumulative impacts. Planning Practice Guidance similarly advises that advertisements are controlled with reference to their effect on amenity and public safety only. These therefore form the key issues to consider for the purposes of this application for advertisement consent.

Public Safety

8.8 With regards to public safety, Planning Practice Guidance recognises that all advertisements are intended to attract attention but states that proposed advertisements at points where drivers need to take more care are more likely to affect public safety, for example at junctions, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings or other places where local conditions present traffic hazards. It states that there are less likely to be road safety problems if the advertisement is on a site within a commercial or industrial locality, if it is a shop fascia sign, name-board, trade or business sign, or a normal poster panel, and if the advertisement is not on the skyline.

8.9 The guidance also states that the Highway Authority must be consulted by the local planning authority if an application for express consent relates to a proposed advertisement that is visible from the highway and has moving features, moving parts or flashing lights.

8.10 In this instance (as identified at the time of the previous application), the signs are not located on a prominent road junction. Whilst the signage is visible from the highway, it replaces pre-existing signage of a similar layout, and the signage now applied for is set back from the main frontage. No moving features are included within the design and impacts upon highway safety have not been raised as a specific concern in the case of the previously refused application for advertisement consent on the site under reference 25/01471ADV. On this basis, it is concluded that in accordance with Policy DP2, the signs do not result in unacceptable adverse impacts associated with traffic or public safety.

Amenity

8.11 With regards to amenity considerations, Planning Practice Guidance clarifies that when assessing advert proposals, amenity includes aural and visual amenity and that relevant factors include the general characteristics of the locality, including the presence of any features of historic, architectural, cultural or similar interest. It advises of the need to consider the local characteristics of the neighbourhood, for example, if the locality where the advertisement is to be displayed has historic features, the local planning authority would consider whether it is in scale and in keeping with these features.

8.12 Pages 35 and 36 of the Authority's Design Guide SPD promote the use of traditional materials in the design of advertisements, particularly in Burley, Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst. It states that where new fascias and signs are proposed, these should be as small as possible, in proportion to the scale of the building and should not be internally illuminated. It states that the colour of lettering is often crucial to the impact, and that oversized lettering should always be avoided. It states that external lighting should be avoided unless it is for a business which needs to open at dusk and in the evening. With regards to materials, it states that the use of timber rather than acrylic fascias, will be supported, as will hand-painted fascias over acrylic applied lettering, and that such “shiny, plasticky signs look poor”.

8.13 The Local Plan is consistent with paragraph 141 of the NPPF which states that the quality and character of places can suffer when advertisements are poorly sited and designed.

8.14 Whilst the site lies relatively close to the conservation area, due to the presence of intervening development between the designated heritage asset (the Conservation Area) and the application site, it is considered that the advertisements do not give rise to any significant adverse impacts in this respect. There are also no notable historic features within the immediate vicinity of the application site.

8.15 It is recognised that there is already a precedent for signage both within the site and within the immediate locality. However, third party concerns have been raised in relation to the materials used within the signs in this case and also that the use of acrylic signage is generally not considered acceptable in most instances. It should be recognised that the general principle of using both plastic and metal / chrome signs within the site has been established through previous planning decisions on the site. The application previously refused under application reference 14/00373 proposed a combination of chrome and acrylic signage but the scheme was refused primarily due to concerns over the extent of illumination. Prior to this, application reference 13/98930 was approved in part with signs incorporating moulded perspex with chrome finish. The 2012 application (reference 12/97589) also proposed moulded perspex and chrome but was refused primarily due to the extent of illumination and also due to concern that the size and scale of the proposed free-standing advertisements (the totems and flags) would appear overbearing and overly-dominant in the street scene. No specific concerns were raised in relation to the materials.

8.16 The main building itself (characterised by modern materials and extensive glazed areas) is not of any notable architectural or aesthetic interest (this also being the case for the petrol station opposite) and there is also no intervisibility between the site and the nearby conservation area. The immediate setting to the building is primarily influenced by the presence of hard surfacing and parked cars. The immediate street scene would therefore not be adversely compromised by the use of acrylic given the presence of modern materials. When set against this baseline, the use of acrylic signage can reasonably be supported in this specific circumstance, subject to ensuring the proposal would not give rise to a harmful impact upon the character of the area, having particular regard to any impacts associated with design and illumination and also the overall extent of signage proposed / cumulative impacts. This approach is consistent with the conclusions reached at the time of the previously refused application.

8.17 With regards to lighting impacts, as identified at the time of the previous application, the immediate locality is of a predominantly semi-rural, residential character and whilst street lighting is present, there are no illuminated signs except the petrol prices at the garage to the west of the site, which is also the only other notable commercial establishment within the immediate vicinity. With these points in mind, it has been concluded that the introduction of significant amounts of illumination to the site cannot reasonable be supported.

8.18 The previous scheme would have resulted in the introduction of just under 60 square metres of internally illuminated signage across the length of the site frontage. Concern was raised that this would significantly exceed the amount of illuminated signage proposed under the previous applications which were refused primarily due to the nature and extent of illumination. It was also identified that, contrary to requirements of the Design Guide SPD, the signage would incorporate extensive and unnecessary internal illumination across the majority of the building façade.

8.19 In the case of the current scheme, no form of illumination is proposed and, on this basis, the proposal in its amended form is considered to adequately overcome the concerns raise previously in relation to illumination and resulting light pollution.

8.20 With regards to the amount and layout of signage proposed, whilst the overall amount and layout of signs has not changed from the previous scheme, it is recognised that the signs are predominantly focused around the main building frontage (which is set back from the highway) and the scheme does not lead to a harmful increase in overall prominence of signage or clutter along the front of the site. As required by the Design Guide SPD, the signs are in proportion to the scale of the building and also do not include oversized lettering. The fact that that the signs would not be illuminated also limits their potential harm and prominence. Therefore, whilst it remains the case that the overall extent of signage is substantial, its general scale and form is therefore considered acceptable.

8.21 In having regard to the above assessment and the local characteristics of the neighbourhood, the signage in its amended form is considered to be of an appropriate design and therefore complies with Policies DP2 and DP18 of the Local Plan, the Design Guide SPD and paragraph 141 of the NPPF, along with accompanying planning practice guidance. The absence of any form of illumination also ensures the signage does not result in unacceptable adverse impacts associated with light pollution as required by Policy SP15. The revised scheme is considered to be a significant improvement on the previously refused scheme.

Conclusion

8.22 In conclusion, no significant adverse impacts in relation to public safety have been identified. Furthermore, the signs are considered to respond appropriately to the local characteristics of the neighbourhood in accordance with Policies SP1 and DP2.

8.23 It is therefore recommended that advertisement consent should be granted subject to conditions.

9. RECOMMENDATION

Grant Subject to Conditions

Condition(s)

1. Any advertisement displayed, and any site used for the display of advertisements, shall be maintained in a clean and tidy condition to the reasonable satisfaction of the local planning authority.
2. Any structure or hoarding erected or used principally for the purpose of displaying advertisements shall be maintained in a safe condition.
3. Where an advertisement is required under these Regulations to be removed, the removal shall be carried out to the reasonable satisfaction of the local planning authority.
4. No advertisement is to be displayed without the permission of the owner of the site or any other person with an interest in the site entitled to grant permission.
5. No advertisement shall be sited or displayed so as to obscure, or hinder the ready interpretation of, and road traffic sign, railway signal or aid to navigation by water or air, or so as otherwise to render hazardous the use if any highway, railway, waterway or aerodrome (civil or military).
6. The advertisements shall only be carried out in accordance with drawings: page 1 Site Location Plan; page 3 Proposed Elevations; and page 4 Elevation of Post Sign. No alterations to the approved signage shall be made unless otherwise agreed in writing by the New Forest National Park Authority.

   Reason: To ensure an acceptable appearance of the advertisements in accordance with Policies SP16, SP17, DP18 and DP2 of the adopted New Forest National Park Local Plan 2016-2036 (August 2019).

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